Press release from
Screenings from 18 countries, over four days, featuring 25 Sydney premieres including 15 Australian premieres and competitions totalling $10,000 in prizes – these are some of the highlights of Antenna International Documentary Film Festival, which today unveiled its program for the inaugural event in Sydney, 5th to 9th October.
The festival will open at Dendy Opera Quays with Australian Robert Nugent’s Memoirs of a Plague, an intriguing story of the ancient relationship between humans and the dreaded locust, and continues at the Chauvel cinema over the following four days with the best in documentary cinema from around the world.
The festival will culminate with Philip Cox’s The Bengali Detective, followed by an award ceremony announcing the winner of the SBS Award for Best International Documentary worth $5000 and the $2500 prize for Best Australian Documentary.
Standout films showing at the festival include Michael Madsen’s Into Eternity, which tackles the issue of nuclear waste and the task of communicating to generations 100,000 years in the future; Ian Palmer’s Knuckle, about a clan of Irish Travellers who solve their long-standing family issues with their fists; Robin Hessman’s My Perestroika, about a group of now adult class mates who grew up during the fall of the Iron Curtain; Danfung Dennis’ Hell and Back Again, a glimpse of the reality of war in Afghanistan, and Alex Gibney’s Magic Trip, about a drug-fuelled road trip across America in the 1960s organised by icon Ken Kesey.
“We are really happy with the program which features a diversity of culturally rich stories from Australia and around the world – there really is something for everyone. The freshness of documentaries is changing the landscape of cinema and becoming accepted amongst mainstream movie-lovers. Our program, combined with engaging debate, industry panel discussions and competitions have garnered keen industry support and we’re so thankful to everyone who is part of this exciting new festival,” said Alejandra Canales, Festival Co-Director.
Along with International guests, Hussain Currimbhoy and Michael Madsen, the festival will host Australian filmmakers including Ivan O’Mahoney, Lauren Teiko-Bayliss, Director of Life in Vitro and Memoirs of a Plague Director Robert Nugent (End of the Rainbow, 2007) and Producer Mitzi Goldman (End of the Rainbow, 2007 and director, A Common Purpose, 2011).
The festival will feature special events, including the Chris Marker 90th Birthday Tribute, which in collaboration with the Alliance Française de Sydney and the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) will screen his classic film Sans Soleil and there will be panel discussions, Q&A sessions and a master class with Michael Madsen (Into Eternity).
The festival, in partnership with the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), will also host the student film competition, which will award the Best Student Documentary with prizes to the value of $2000 courtesy of Metro Screen, the Australian Directors Guild (ADG) and Adobe.
For full program details, screening times and to purchase tickets, visit Antenna’s website or Facebook site.
OPENING NIGHT
Date: Wednesday 5th October, 2011
Venue: Dendy Opera Quays
Film: Australian premiere of Memoirs of a Plague by Robert Nugent, followed by opening night party
Tickets: Adult $30.00/ Concession $25.00
Tickets are available through Dendy.
FESTIVAL DETAILS
Festival Dates: Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th October, 2011
Venue: Chauvel Cinema, Cnr Oxford St and Oatley Rd, Paddington
TICKETING
Festival tickets are available through Chauvel Cinema box office, online at www.chauvelcinema.net.au or by calling the box office on 02 9361 5398.
Single sessions: Adult $16.00/ Concession $13.00
Multiple Passes:
3 film pass: $42.00/ $35.00
5 film pass: $65.00/ $55.00
10 film pass: $120.00/ $100.00
Group tickets are available for groups of 10 or more people. For more information email info@antennafestival.org
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